Lily's last day
by Rettastarkidklainer
Summary: This is my first fanfic. Is my interpretation of what happened at Godric's Hollow the day Lily and James died. It is non-canon but is based off of canon events as well as fan speculations. DISCLAIMER: i have no legal rights to Harry Potter or any of its associated companies, but if i did... Oh the thinks i would think...


Saturday October 31st 1981 – It started out a perfectly normal day for the Potters in Godric's Hollow.

Lily Potter woke to find her 1 year old son, Harry, playing with his toys on the living room floor and her husband James reading the Daily Prophet at the table. She gave them both a kiss and made some breakfast.

At around 10:30am Harry and James were outside playing with Harry's miniature broomstick he'd received for his birthday. Lily was startled by a tapping at the window; it was a tawny owl carrying a letter. She let the owl in for a drink and took the letter from its beak. She saw her name on the envelope but hesitated. That handwriting she thought, surely not. Slowly, she opened the letter and began to read...

My dearest Lily,

I write this in the hope that it will reach you before it's too late. As I'm sure you know, I recently overheard a prophecy about the Dark Lord's downfall at the hands of a boy born at the end of July whose parents have thrice defied him. He thinks this means your son, Harry, he means to kill the boy. Oh Lily, I think he may mean to kill you and James too. I've begged him to spare your life but he rarely listens to the requests of others.

Again, I'm sure you know, I voiced these concerns to Dumbledore and he has put you under the protection of the Fidelius Charm. I must warn you about something though Lily. I'm certain that your secret keeper will be Black, Lupin or Pettigrew. As much as I despise him, Black is an honourable man who would rather die than betray James. Lupin is the same. Peter Pettigrew, however, is filth and has been working for the Dark Lord for the last 2 years. He will be quick to sell you out for his own gain. Please, I beg you, do not trust him.

I hope you receive this in time to maybe save your life but if not then I must tell you: I love you Lily Evans. I've loved you since the day I met you. And that I am truly sorry for hurting you all those years ago.

If by some chance you don't survive but Harry does, I promise that I'll do everything in my power to protect him.

Always,

Severus.

Painfully, Lily recalled the incident to which he referred. It was their 5th year and they had just sat their Defence Against the Dark Arts theory O.W.L... "Will you look at Potter," said Jessica. Lily looked up from her book to see James Potter playing with a golden snitch, letting it fly away then catching it before it gets too far out. "Urgh, spare me the pain. I'll pass thanks," said Lily before returning to her book. No less than 10 minutes later she heard a commotion over towards where James and his friends had been. Reluctantly she peered up again, "oh crap," she muttered before running. When she reached them Severus was choking on pink, soapy bubbles coming from his mouth

"Leave him ALONE!"

"All right, Evans?" said James in a pleasant but unnaturally deep voice.

"Leave him alone," she said again "What's he done to you?"

"Well, it's more the fact that he exists, if you know what I mean..."

Many of the group that had now assembled around them laughed, Lily was not impressed.

"You think you're funny, but you're just an arrogant, bullying toerag, Potter. Leave him alone."

"I will if you go out with me, Evans, Go on... go out with me and I'll never lay a wand on old Snivelly again"

Lily noticed out of the corner of her eye that the jinx was wearing off and Severus was slowly moving towards his wand

"I wouldn't go out with you if it was choice between you and the giant squid,"

"Bad luck Prongs, OI!"

But it was too late, Snape had already turned on James, there was a flash of light and a large gash appeared on the side of James' face. Another flash of light and Severus was dangling by his feet mid-air, his robes slipped to reveal a greying pair of underwear in his skinny legs. The crowd and James, Sirius and Peter Pettigrew (Lily noticed that Lupin took no part in this) roared with laughter, Lily herself began to smile until she remembered whose side she was supposed to be on:

"Let him down!"

"Certainly,"

Snape fell with a thud. He began to get up when Sirius cast the full body-bind curse on him and he toppled over again. Lily had had enough, she pulled out her own wand now

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!"

"Ah, Evans, don't make me hex you,"

"Take the curse off him, then"

James muttered the counter-curse and Severus scrambled to his feet.

"There you go, you're lucky Evans was here, Snivellus –"

"I don't need help from filthy little Mudbloods like her!"

The words stung. Like he had stabbed a large, rusty knife into her chest.

"Fine," she said in a voice so full of contempt it almost surprised her, "I won't bother in the future. And I'd wash your pants if I were you, Snivellus."

"Apologise to Evans!" yelled James threateningly, wand drawn.

"I don't want you to make him apologise, you're as bad as he is."

"What? I'd NEVER call you a - you-know-what!"

"Messing up your hair because you think it looks cool to look like you've just got off your broomstick, showing off with that stupid Snitch, walking down corridors and hexing anyone who annoys you just because you can – I'm surprised your broomstick gets off the ground with that fat head on it. You make me SICK."

She turned and began to walk away, eyes brimmed with tears.

"Evans! Hey, EVANS!"

But she didn't turn back, tears falling freely.

"What the - " Lily Potter had awoken from her reminiscent state by their kitten winding himself around her legs. She felt a hot tear run down her cheek and realised that she'd actually been crying. It was at that moment that James and Harry came back inside. James could tell immediately that something was wrong.

"Lily, what's wrong?" She held up the letter.

"It's from Severus, James." He came over to her, she handed him the letter which he took and read.

"Is he serious? This is crap. Peter Pettigrew is one of my best friends. Also, if he really was so madly in love with you, then why the hell did he call you that name!"

"I don't know James. But he was my best friend once upon a time; I think we should at least invite him 'round. Just hear him out. Please?"

"Well, I suppose, if you can forgive him I can stand to be in the same room as him. Tell him to come later tonight."

"Thank you, James. And I suppose we can tell him our other news then. We would've had to contact him soon enough anyway."

"Our other news? Oh, you mean the baby. Yeah, I guess. But are you sure about that, I mean Remus would be a great godfather."

"Yes, Remus would be. But I've made my decision. It's going to be Severus, and that's final!"

"Ok Lily, whatever you think is best. I'll go put Harry down for a nap."

Dear Severus,

I wanted to let you know that I received your letter but I don't want to say too much just in case this is intercepted. Come to our house tonight at 8.00, Harry will be in bed and we can talk about the things you wrote about. James was reluctant but has accepted that we need to discuss this so please, be civil. For me?

Lily

She found the tawny owl that bought her Snape's letter what felt like centuries ago and attached her reply to his leg and sent him off.

After re-reading his letter a thought came to mind, Dumbledore would want to hear about the letter and to be perfectly honest with herself, she really wanted his opinion, support and kind heart to reassure her.

Dear Albus,

I just wanted to inform you that I received a letter from Severus Snape about our secret keeper. He is under the impression that Peter will betray us. I would NEVER say this to James but I think he may be right about Peter. He has been acting odd, well more odd than usual. Almost like he's guilty or something. I know I'm probably overreacting but I would love your reassurance. Why don't you visit on Monday and we'll talk more then.

Lily

A massive weight lifted off her shoulders now that she knew Dumbledore would help her out. The matter left her mind for the rest of the day.

7:16 pm - Dusk was starting to settle in and Lily looked out of the window at all the young children running around in costumes "trick-or-treating". She turned to James;

"I hope Harry is able to do all of that someday."

"He will Lily. I'll make sure of it."

"I hope you're right."

Although neither of them noticed it, a dark, hooded figure Apparated further down the street and the Fidelius charm had just been broken.

"One more!"

"Alright Harry, one more story before bed. Babbitty – Rabbitty?"

"Yea!"

"Lily..."

"Yes James?"

"Nothing, I just thought I heard... Lily, take Harry and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off!"

Lily bundled up Harry and bolted up the stairs to his room. When she got there she contemplated putting him in his cot but decided she felt safer holding him in her arms.

"Harry, you are so loved. Mama loves you. Dada loves you. Harry, be safe. Be strong."

Downstairs she heard the door blast open. She heard James shout something then high, cold laughter. There was a flash of green light and she knew James was gone. Preparing herself for what she knew was coming. She didn't have her wand but she'd decided months ago what she was going to do if this situation arose. There were a few boxes blocking the doorway in the room. Voldemort cast them away, leaving nothing between him and Lily. It was at that point she decided it would be better to put Harry in his cot. She also put herself between Harry and Voldemort as a shield.

"Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!"

"Stand aside, you silly girl ... stand aside, now ..." the demand startled her. Had he actually listened to Severus?

"Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead –"

"This is my last warning –"

"Not Harry! Please ... have mercy ... have mercy ... Not Harry! Not Harry! Please – I'll do anything –"

"Stand aside – stand aside girl –"

Although she'd never been particularly skilled at Legilimency, Lily knew exactly what Voldemort was thinking. With barely any time to register this, Lily saw a jet of emerald green light issuing from his wand which was coming towards her. And Lily Potter fell like a marionette whose strings were cut. Her body lay on the floor, her eyes open, unseeing, a single tear rolling down her cheek.

All this time Harry Potter had been watching and, of course, being only one year old he couldn't comprehend it. He thought it was his dad beneath the cloak, and that he would take off the hood and his mother would come back up and they would laugh and make some more pretty lights. But when the man came closer Harry could see under the hood and this man wasn't his father. Harry began to cry. Voldemort held up his wand and pointed in the boy's face, right in the middle of his forehead, he wanted to see the light leave the eyes of the child who supposedly would be his downfall. He took one last breath and cast the spell.

Pain. Nothing but pain, tearing him apart. Was this death? No, surely not, death would be much faster not to mention the fact that he had 5 Horcruxes protecting him from that. But the pain was so intense that he knew something was wrong. Could the boy still be alive? Of course not, no one has ever survived the killing curse. Finally, after what seemed an eternity the pain subsided, he tried to sit up. He couldn't. He had lost his body. He was incredibly weak and almost completely powerless, but, somehow, he fled the scene.

Severus Snape received Lily's letter at around 4pm and had been anxiously counting down the minutes until 8.00. When it finally arrived he disapperated from his home and arrived at the other end just across the road from the house. He instantly knew something was wrong.

There were still a few children around, trick-or-treating, but they either didn't see or didn't notice the house which was beginning to fall apart. As Severus passed through the front gate he noticed the front door had been ripped off its hinges. One he'd removed the door from blocking his entry he, slowly and with bated breath, crossed the threshold. Upon initially surveying what he saw, he could tell that there had barely been any sort of struggle. And then he saw James' body, strewn across a few stairs. He made his way up the staircase but stopped at James' head. Although he would deny it for the rest of his life, Severus actually felt grief and guilt for the man who had once been his enemy and to whom he owed his life. James' eyes were wide open so Snape made a small gesture of closing them and then moved on up the staircase, the feeling of dread growing constantly stronger.

The sight that greeted him when he entered Harry Potter's bedroom would haunt him until his dying day. Lily Evans was dead. The shock of seeing her sightless eyes staring up at him made him collapse from the pain of it. As he fell he gripped the frame of the door for support, his eyes streaming uncontrollably with tears. He struggled towards her and fell to his feet. He held her in his arms, sobbing into her hair which he noticed still smelled the same as it did in his memories. Some time passed but he was completely unable to tell just how much. When he finally managed to control himself somewhat he stood up and looked around for Harry.

The young boy was lying unconscious in his crib with a very fresh looking, lightning-bolt scar in the middle of his forehead. Severus assumed the boy was dead but checked to be completely sure he checked. He was still warm, there was a pulse. Immediately his thought process changed 'Maybe I can make things right. I'll take the boy to Dumbledore for protection'. "Rennervate." Harry began to stir and his eyelids fluttered. Snape peered out of the window. Rubeus Hagrid was walking up to the house presumably on Dumbledore's orders to rescue Harry. Despite having nothing to hide, Snape felt he'd be safer hiding in the closet and he did so.

Shortly after this he heard a loud sob that was close but not in the room. Hagrid had obviously just seen James. There were heavy footsteps gradually becoming louder then Hagrid entered the room and his cries were just as distraught sounding as he was sure his had been. Snape peered through the door and saw Hagrid buddle up Harry, who seemed to recognise the giant like figure. Moments later Hagrid left the room. Snape waited for around a minute then crept out of the closet and peered out the window. Hagrid had stopped to talk to, as far as he could tell, Sirius Black. Black was standing by a large flying motorcycle and seemed to be trying to convince Hagrid to hand Harry to him. After a few minutes, Black had lost his battle but gave him his motorcycle to take Harry on.

Snape turned and sat by Lily and held her hand in his. It still had a slight warmth to it which reminded him of the life she once had and washed a new wave of sadness over him. He stifled a sob and stood up straight. He vowed to himself that from this point onwards he would do everything in his power to protect Harry Potter, because he had Lily's eyes. Every fibre of his being loathed James Potter, but his love for Lily Evans was what made him so sure that this was the right thing to do. He took one last, longing look at Lily, and disapperated with a faint 'pop'.


End file.
